1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an optical mechanism for use in an office machine, for example, a copy machine or scanner and, more particularly, to such an optical mechanism that increases the optical path of the office machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A paper-feeding type office machine, for example, a copy machine or scanner, as shown in FIG. 1, generally comprises a paper-feeding mechanism 10 which comprises a sheet-transferring mechanism 12, which is adapted to transfer paper 11, and a machine base 20, which is disposed on the bottom side of the paper-feeding mechanism 10. The machine base 20 comprises a document carrier glass 22, which is disposed on the top side, an optical-path device 30m which is disposed on the inside. Document carrier glass 22 has a scanning zone 25 near one side. The optical-path device 30, for example, a charge-coupled device, comprises an image sensor 32, which is adapted to convert a light signal into an electric signal that is further proceeded with and is stored by an electronic device, and an optical module 34, which comprises a light source that provides a scanning light to the scanning zone 25 for scanning a document, and which comprises a lens set adapted to focus reflected light onto the image sensor 32. The paper-feeding mechanism 10 has a scanning hole 17 in the bottom panel 16 for enabling paper 11 to be transferred to the scanning zone 25 and then back to the topside of the paper-feeding mechanism 10. Another design is possible, in which document is delivered sideways from the surface of the document carrier glass 22.
According to this design of office machine, paper 11 must be kept in close contact with the scanning zone 25 to match the focus 36 of the optical-path device 30. This close contact makes the structural design difficult, and does not allow the paper-feeding mechanism 10 to have much internal space for holding component parts of the machine. Further, because the sheet-transferring mechanism 12 must be kept as close to the bottom panel 16 as possible, the design of the arrangement of the internal component parts in the sheet-transferring mechanism 12 is complicated and difficult.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical mechanism for use in an office machine, which increases the optical path to facilitate the arrangement of internal component parts.